This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
There is only one game left in the first round of the NHL playoffs. Monday, the Devils host the Rangers in Game 7 of this series. That means single-game DFS contest rules are in effect over at DraftKings. You have $50,000 in salary for six players. One is your captain, and they earn 1.5 times the points. However, their salary is also elevated. One of these heated rivals who play only a handful of miles apart will move on, and one will head home. Here is a lineup that intrigued me for Monday.
CAPTAIN
Chris Kreider, NYR at NJD ($12,900): The Rangers finally solved Akira Schmid in Game 6. Kreider played a part in that, racking up a goal and two assists. New Jersey has continued to suppress shots after excelling on that front during the regular season, and Kreider has been tamped down on. He admittedly only has 13 shots on goal in this series. And yet, he leads the Rangers with nine points. Kreider is a proven scorer, and Schmid isn't a proven goalie at this point in his career, so the Massachusetts native is my captain.
FLEX
Jack Hughes, NJD vs. NYR ($10,200): Hughes staying healthy and taking his game to the next level is a big reason why the Devils had the season they did. He tallied 99 points in 78 games, but notably also notched 336 shots on net. That is where Hughes has stood out in this series. He's managed 30 shots on net in six games. Three of them have gone in. If he can keep shooting like that, perhaps he adds a fourth.
Jesper Bratt, NJD vs. NYR ($7,400): Bratt would benefit from finding his regular-season form, particularly his early-season form. He has three points in this series, all assists, but he headed into the playoffs on a seven-game point streak. The Swede is also still seeing plenty of power-play time, having averaged 3:13 per game with the extra man.
Vladimir Tarasenko, NYR at NJD ($6,600): Give Tarasenko points for consistency. He has tallied three shots on net exactly in each of his last four games. In three of them, he didn't have a point. In Game 6, though, he had a goal and an assist. Tarasenko has a track record of success. He has six 30-goal seasons to his name. At this salary, I'll take a shot on that.
Dawson Mercer, NJD vs. NYR ($6,400): Mercer was cold heading into the playoffs, so maybe you forgot he notched 27 goals and 29 assists in his sophomore campaign. However, the Devils tweaked their lineup and Mercer has spent time centering the third line. He has three points over his last two games, though none of them have come at even strength. Hey, if New Jersey is giving him time on the power play and shorthanded, that's a sign of some faith.
Filip Chytil, NYR at NJD ($6,200): Chytil has started 61.8 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, second most on the Rangers in this series behind his linemate Kaapo Kakko (yes, Alexis Lafreniere is third). However, Chyil is to me clearly the best player of that trio, and he's averaged 1:58 per game on the power play in this series as well. In terms of opportunity, Chytil offers more than a lot of players at this salary, and he scored 22 goals this season as well.
